Santa Claus isn't always white

Sunday

Dec 22, 2013 at 6:00 AMDec 22, 2013 at 11:57 PM

Growing up in Ann Arbor, Mich., Sherman Whitman got to see an African-American Santa Claus every Christmas, actually every day. "I remember waking up on Christmas morning and seeing a man wearing a Santa suit putting presents under the tree and it was my father," said Mr. Whitman, co-host of the morning show with Hank Stolz on WCRN 830 AM.

By Elaine Thompson TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

Growing up in Ann Arbor, Mich., Sherman Whitman got to see an African-American Santa Claus every Christmas, actually every day.

"I remember waking up on Christmas morning and seeing a man wearing a Santa suit putting presents under the tree and it was my father," said Mr. Whitman, co-host of the morning show with Hank Stolz on WCRN 830 AM.

While most Americans grow up thinking Santa Claus is a fat white man, Mr. Whitman, an African-American, said the fictitious character can be any race. He and others around the country have joined the heated debate ignited when Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly adamantly proclaimed that Santa Claus is white.

She was responding to a Slate blogger who argued that Santa Claus should no longer be depicted solely as white man because it can alienate minority children. The blogger, Aisha Harris, an African-American woman, even suggested that Santa be replaced with a penguin so that it appeals to children of all races.

"For all you kids watching at home, Santa just is white, but this person is just arguing that maybe we should also have a black Santa," Ms. Kelly said on "The Kelly File" on Dec. 11. "But Santa is what he is, and just so you know, we're just debating this because someone wrote about it." During that discussion, Ms. Kelly also said that just like Santa, Jesus Christ is white. She accused her critics of race-baiting and attacking her because she works at Fox News.

"I'll just say what she said was plain and simple stupid," said Mr. Whitman, who played Santa Claus at a holiday party for veterans at Veterans Inc. in Worcester Thursday night. "Santa is Santa. Anyone who is trying to say he's one thing or another, I don't think they get Christmas. If they did, they wouldn't be saying these stupid things. Christmas is about celebration of family, friends and faith."

Joyce D. McNickles, a Sutton resident who is a social justice and diversity educator and consultant, agreed. She said she posted a link to Ms. Kelly's video discussing Santa on her Facebook page. Most people who commented thought the Kelly comments were ridiculous, she said.

Ms. McNickles said what annoyed her just as much as what Ms. Kelly said is that she said it in a way that she was so convinced that Santa has to be white and it seemed almost like she was angry.

"She basically said, 'That's the way it is folks. Shut up and accept the fact,'" said Ms. McNickles.

She said African-American children at a recent Christmas Bazaar at Belmont A.M.E. Zion Church in Worcester were so intrigued when they saw a black life-size artificial Santa Claus..

"Some could argue that Santa was created by white people for white people, which is true. But, I don't think it hurts for children to see black or brown Santas, especially when they go to the mall and sit on their laps and ask for gifts," she said. "I think black and brown children need to know that black and brown men can bring gifts too."

According to legend, Santa Claus began in the fourth century in modern-day Turkey. It is thought that the name came from an extremely kind bishop named Nicholas. After his death, "feast day" or "St. Nicholas Day," was celebrated on Dec. 6 in his honor.

The pope at that time, Julius I, assigned Dec. 25 as a holiday to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. In the late 1700s, Dutch families in New York celebrated Sinterklaas, a version of the Dutch word for Saint Nicholas. Sinter Klaas evolved into Santa Claus.

Fern L. Johnson, an English professor at Clark University who is white, said society has a tendency to "white wash" images that may not be white in reality and history.

"It makes sense on one hand that in a country and culture that has been predominantly white, the representation of Santa Claus would be white. But there's nothing that grounds either Santa or Jesus Christ as a particular race," she said. "But, it's not surprising that we would see over and over again representations of white Santa Clauses and white Jesus Christ artist rendering because that's the dominant culture. It's a way of normalizing things."

Ms. Johnson who grew up in what she called "whiter than Vermont" Minneapolis, said none of the three wise men around the manger set up in her home and at her church at Christmas was dark-skinned. She said she had never seen a black Santa and other black-related Christmas tree ornaments until the 1980s after she adopted two African-American boys. She and her spouse, Marlene Fine, a communications professor at Simmons College in Boston, purchased some of the ornaments at a store in Chicago while there for an academic conference. The couple published a book: "The Interracial Adoption Option: Creating a Family Across Race," in September.

Ms. Johnson said her sons were exposed to books and videos with black Santas because she thought it was important they saw that not every image of some important holiday characters was white. She said she would be reluctant to say Ms. Kelly, the Fox News anchor, made the controversial comments because she is a consciously racist person. Her comments were, however, ignorant and insensitive, said Ms. Johnson.

"I think so many times these things are said just out of a lack of awareness," she said. "Being white parents of black children, so many times we encounter people saying things about race that were shocking. Some say things because they mean to be racist. But many things that are said people don't think about them. They don't realize how somebody else is going to take it."

Etel Cappachione, an Albanian emigrant who is on the YWCA board of directors and works with young people at YOU Inc. in Worcester, said she is not surprised that the race-related controversy was ignited by someone on Fox News.

"It's disturbing and comical at the same time in the sense that it doesn't surprise me the extent of ignorance and just stupidity of commentators on Fox News," she said. "In the other sense, a lot of white commentators, mostly conservative, have no problem depicting people of color as lazy or criminals, dehumanizing them in many ways. The idea that Santa would be anything other than white ... the historical figure Jesus Christ would be anything other than white is so threatening to the establishment."

The comments are just another example of the problems with prejudice and racial bias in the U.S., said longtime Worcester psychologist Erik D. Nelson. He said that while Santa has been depicted as white, the mythical character can be any nationality.

"What she (Ms. Kelly) said and the battles that have continued across the media is not helpful to children. It adds insult to injury... Unfortunately children have been exposed to these kids of comments throughout their lives," said Mr. Nelson. "I was concerned myself because I think of Santa Claus as the spirit of Christmas and I don't know if a spirit has any particular color assigned to it."

Bob Callahan, president of California-based Fraternal Order of the Real Bearded Santas, a national group of men who portray Santa, said Santa is whatever a child perceives him to be. He said he has known two black Santas, two or three Jewish Santas and three Hispanic Santas.

"Kids do not care what color the skin is behind the beard. They love Santa and the magic about him," Mr. Callahan wrote in an email. "I would hate to see someone turn a beloved figure to billions of kids of all ages into a racist debate. There is no racist problem except in the minds of some sick people. Santa is just about love and giving to all who believe in him."